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Remarks as Prepared for Delivery TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Good morning President Gardiner, Speaker Crisafulli and distinguished members of the Florida Legislature. Welcome Lt. Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, Chief Justice Labarga and members of the Florida Supreme Court. And I would like to recognize my wonderful wife Ann. We have been married for almost 43 years. I love you Ann. We have been blessed. So now it’s time for another state of the state speech, or as I like to call it – a chance for me to show off my world renowned oratorical skills. It’s...

Bike Week rolls into Central Florida March 6-15. Bring your appetite. There are so many good foodie hangouts to check out along your ride. I like the Swamphouse Grill in DeBary, The Black Hammock in Oviedo and Nemo's at the Sanford Marina.
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WINTER SPRINGS — Shirley Lofgren, 85, is being forced to sell the sun-filled, waterfront condo she and her husband bought nine years ago for less than a third of the $217,000 they paid for it.The sale is allowed under a "condominium termination"...

DAYTONA BEACH — It is early morning in Daytona Beach, and you pull your Ford into the drive-through at Smoothie King. You pause, and do a double take. There is a man in front of you in a golf cart.
That would be Joey Logano, a guy who drives much...

TALLAHASSEE - Florida shoppers could soon pick up a bottle of vodka or other hard liquors at the grocery store after tossing staples such as milk and eggs into their cart.A Florida House panel Wednesday approved a measure allowing grocery stores and large...

A group of neighbors and property owners are crying foul over a new industrial business park emerging in the Lake Nona area.
Residents say they expected a retail area and possible grocery store across from Beacon Park Landing, a development of 500...

If you food shop regularly you may have to dig a little deeper in your wallet this year. According to the USDA, beef, poultry, pork, dairy, including eggs, and fresh produce prices are on the rise in most areas. Check your list to see where you can trim...

Barnie's CoffeeKitchen thinks it has a solution to the constraints of single-serving machines.
The Orlando-based café and manufacturer is launching its next iteration of the cups used in the single-serve home machines, but a new design that allows...

Very strong competition, Jonathan Smiga noted, can often inspire entrepreneurs toward creativity. And as Smiga’s company, Barnie’s Coffeekitchen, prepares to celebrate the very first Santa’s White Christmas Day on Monday, Dec. 22, he noted that even a...

In Book of Mormon, Broadway's satirical and ultra-raunchy hit, Orlando gets some of the biggest laughs.Elder Price, the show's naive and unsophisticated main character, declares Orlando his "favorite place" and destination of choice to...

Brandon McGee needed a gift for his girlfriend on Christmas Eve andbecause he's only 15, he also had to have a ride to the Altamonte Mall. "I had to get my dad and brother here somehow, so I just bought tickets to see "The...

Lakeland-based Publix Super Markets will offer benefits to married same-sex couples.
The grocery chain with about 168,500 employees nationwide said it will start offering health, dental and vision benefits to any couple that is married in any state,...

First of two parts.
Time to readjust thinking about Leesburg's $20 million smart-grid boondoggle.
Remember how it was sold to the public as a way to cut the average power bill by $25 or $30 a month? Nah, forget that.
Remember how it was to be "off...

Today's Friday Files have something for everyone — from sports talk and baby names to political beat-downs and some Jimmy Buffett intel.A Washington smackdown. We start with Congressman Daniel Webster, the Orlando Republican who thought he...

Publix Super Markets is recalling specific deli ready-to-eat products because a seasoning mix used may contain peanuts that are not declared on the packaging. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the products.
Here are the foods...

Once again, Publix is tugging on our holiday heartstrings.
And I can't lie. I love it.
I love the commercial where the hungry nutcracker and sly angel raid the holiday feast. When the salt and pepper shakers come to life. And when the big family...

A former Orlando restaurant executive has taken the top role at Cheddar's Casual Cafe restaurants and is expanding the low-cost casual dining chain in Central Florida.
Ian Baines, CEO at the Dallas-based company, visited Orlando last week to open a new...